Ironing machine



Aug. 13, 1935. N. H. WAT-rs 11101111111 MACHINE Filed oct. 14, 1952 ITIVSn-b-Or'. Noble Watts. @w/#1 H is Attorney,

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Patented Aug. 13, 1935 UNITED STATES momo MACHINE Noble H. Watts, Bridgeport, Conn., assi-gnor to General Electric Company, a corporation o! y New York Application october 14, 1932, serial No. 637,724 9 claims. (ci. iis-9) The present invention relates to ironing machines and especially to ironing machines of the iiat plate type wherein the ironing operation is performed by pressing a heated flat plate, termed the shoe, against a padded flat plate, termed the buck.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement in an ironing machine of this type and for a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention attention is directed to the following specification and the claims appended there-y In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an ironing machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, the shoe being Shown in one position in full lines and in another position in dotted lines; Fig. 3 is a perspective view partly in section of the operating means for the shoe; Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of a modification.

Referring to the drawing, I indicates a base in the form of a flat plate which is preferably triangular in shape, the forward end being of substantial width so as to provide a firm support. Projecting upwardly from the base is a tubular post or standard 2 which may be of any desired length. Mounted on tubular standard 2 is a sleeve 3 which carries an arm 4 on which is mounted a stationary buck 5. Buck 5 may have any suitable shape. Preferably it is rectangular, and, as is well understood, is suitably padded. It is the part of the ironer upon which the cloth is spread by the operator preparatory to pressing or ironing. Sleeve 3 is fastened rigidly to tube 2 by means of one or more pins 6. Sleeve 3 terminates short of the top of tube 2 and mounted on the projecting upper end of the tube is a collar 'I which is fastened to the tube by means of a set screw 8. The upper surface of collar I is flush with the upper end of tube 2 to form a shoulder and projecting upwardly from the shoulder --is a central pivot post 9. In the present instance, pivot post 9 is shown as comprising the upper end of a bolt having a head I0 seated against a shoulder on the inner surface and spaced from the upper end of tube 2. The pin or pins 6 pass through the bolt so that it forms a rigid part of the/standard. The posts so far described form a unitary structure which constitutes the stationary post of the machine.

Pivotally mounted on post 9 is an arm I I which is adapted to swing in a horizontal plane on the Aon each side of arm I I.

post and which carries at its free end the shoe I2. Arm II is held in place by a nut I3 which .screws onto the threaded end of pivot post 9. The free end of arm I I is provided with a clevis I4 as shown particularly in Fig.` 3 in which is 5 pivoted a short bar I5 by means of Ia pin i6. The other end of bar I5 has formed integral with it a sleeve I1 which forms a. support for the shoe I2. l

Bar I5 is provided at its under side with a. 10 projecting plate I8 located beneath arm II and provided with pivot pins I9 and 20, one located Pivotally mounted at one end on pins I9 and 20 are fiat rods 2l and 22 which extend parallel to each other and to 15 arm II and at their other ends are pivotally mounted on pins 23 and 24 (Fig. 4) located in slots in the sid'es of collar 1. The inner walls 25 and 26 of the slots form stops which are engaged by rods 2I and 22 to limit the parallel swing- 20 ing movement of arm II.

With the above described arrangement it will be seen that when arm II is moved from the l full line position shown in Fig. 2 to the dotted line position, rods 2| and 22 serve to turn bar 25 I5 on its pivot I6 so as to vgive the shoe a substantially straight line motion relatively to buck 5.

At the lower end of sleeve I1 is an inturned ange' 21 upon which rests the lower end of a coiled spring 2li.A Supported on the upper end 30 of coiled spring 28 is a post 29, the post being provided with a head 30 the under surface of `which engages the spring. ,Post 29 is fastened to sleeve I1 by means of a key 3|, the arrangement being such that the post will not turn relati'vely to sleeve Il but can slide axially thereof guided by the key. Connected to the lower end of post 29 is a boss 32 which is attached to and forms a part of shoe I2, the shoe being fastened to the boss by suitable means such as the screws `4I)` 32a, Fig. 2. Boss 32 is provided with a central opening 33 the lower end of which is closed by an adjustable plug 34 provided with a central opening through which the lower end of post 29 projects. Post 23 is provided with a suitable 45 shoulder with which plug 34 engages and against which it 'is held by a nut threaded onto the lower end of post 29. Plug 34 is cut away to provide a shoulder against which rests the lower end of a spring 35. Sleeve I1 is of less diam- 50 eter than opening 33 and located in the annular space between the sleeve and the wall of the opening is a sliding bushing 36 the lower end of which engages the upper end of spring 35. Sleeve I'I is provided on opposite sides with trun- 55 nlons 31 on which are pivoted cam plates 38 connected together at their rear ends by a frame 39, to the cross'bar 40 of which is attached an operating handle 4|. The forward ends of plates 38 are rounded to form cams or noses 42 which ride on the upper end of bushing 36. With this. arrangement. when handle 4| is moved to turn frame 39 in a forward direction as viewed in Fig. 3, cam plates 38 are turned on trunnions 31, forcing cams 42 downward on bushing 36, thereby moving the bushing downward on sleeve |1 and through spring 35 lowering the shoe I2. Sleeve |1 forms a guide in which post 29 slides vertically, the post being, in substance, a part of shoe I2.l

Mounted over the sleeve I1 and associated parts is a cylinder 43 which rests on boss 32. It forms .a shield and'cover for' the enclosed parts 1 and also gives a finished appearance to the strucsition with bushing 35.1n engagement with the lower fiat sides of the cam plates. 'I'he shoe stands parallel to the buck, b'eing held in such parallel relation by the rods 2| and 22. The rearward swinging movement of the shoe is limited by rod 22 engaging thewall 26 on collar- 1. After the cloth to be pressed or ironed is spread on the buck the operator takes hold of handle 4| and pulls the' shoe forward over the buck, the forward movement being limited by rod 2| striking surface 25 on collar 1. As shown in Fig. 2, handle 4| preferably curves forward so as to be within ready reach of the operator. After the shoe is located over the buck, this being the position of the parts shown in Fig. l, handle 4| is pressed downward, thereby turning vcam plates 3 8 on trunnions 31 and causing cams 42 to slide on the upper end of bushing 36, forcing the bushing and shoe downward lagainst the action of Spring 28. Spring is substantially stronger than spring 28 so that during the initial movement the shd moves downward without materially compressing spring 35. After the shoe engages the buck, further movement of the cams compresses vspring 35, thereby pressing the shoe hard against the buck'through the inter- -mediary ofspring 35.v Spring 35 is adjusted for the desired degree of compression by means of plug 34 which can be screwed a greater or lesser distance into boss 32. The handle 4| is pressed forward and downward until the points of cams 42 Vpass beyond the vertical, at which time a suitable stop means prevents further movement.

This stop means may comprise the handle 4| vengaging the top edge of shield 43. With the -points of the cams moved beyond the vertical,

in Fig. 1 where it is out f contact, with the buck.

The shoe may then be swung back to itsireary ward position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

When the shoe is-swung back, it uncovers completely the buck so there is no danger of` the' operator coming in contact with the heated shoe while placing clothes upon the buck, and by causing the shoe to move in a straight `line relatively to the buck, the shoe moves from over the buck with the minimum turning movementof the arm. The shoe may be heated in any suitable manner. For example, it may be electrically heated. By having handle 4| project forwardly it is brought within convenient reach of the operator so that theopertor can readily move the shoe back and forth and press it against the buck. This lends ease of operation to the ironer.

In Fig. 5, I have shown a modified form of actuating mechanism for moving the shoe toward the buck. In this figure, indicates a boss (corpart of the shoe. It is provided with a threaded neck 5| to which is attached the lower end of a vertically extending tubular post 52. Post 52 fits into and is adapted to slide in a sleeve 53 which is carried by an arm 54 corresponding to bar I5 of Fig. l. Post 52 is held normally in itsl uppermost position in sleeve 53, (this being the position shown in Fig. 5) byel spring 55 which at one end engages an inturned flange 56 on post 52 and at its other end is fastened to the lower end of a stud 51 fixed to the head of sleeve y53. Post 52 is adapted to be moved downward in sleeve 53, thereby bringing the shoe into pressing engagement with the buck, by a cam 58 carried by a shaft 59 suitably pivoted in the walls of sleeve 53 Cam 58 bears against a. roller 6|! on the upper side of sliding bushing or spring cup 5|.

Between the f responding to boss 32 of Fig. 1) which forms a head of sliding bushing or spring cup 5| and the nected to the outer` end of shaft 59 is an operating handle y53. When operating handle -53 is turned in an anticlockwise direction as viewed from the right hand side of Fig. 5, cam 58 moves downward, thereby forcing boss 50 and the shoe downward against the buck, pressure being applied through the intermediary of spring 82. Spring 52 is of a strength to give the desired pressing force. After a predetermined force is applied, it will yield, thereby limiting the pressure between the shoe and the buck. The wall of tubular posil 52 is provided with suitable slots 94 to permit of the described movement taking place. When handle 83 is moved in the opposite direction, l i

pressure on the shoe isreleased and spring raises the shoe to its normal position. Spring 55 serves to keep roller 50 always in engagement with cam 58 during thereturn movement. Spring 52-is a pre-stressed spring through which pressure is applied to the shoe.v `In other respects the construction indicated in Fig. 5 -may be similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.

What lI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In an ironing machine, the combination of a buck, an arm one end of which is movable from a position over the central portion of the buck to 9, position away from the buck, av sleeve carried by the end of the arm, a shoe having a post, said post being lslidably mounted4 in the sleeve, a first spring between the sleeve and post for holding the shoe'in raised position away from the buck, a second spring. stronger than the first spring, and cam means for vapplying pressure to the shoe through the intermediary oi' the second spring to move the'shoe towards the buck against the action of the first spring.

means for moving the shoe relatively to the guidev 2. In an ironing machine, the combination oi' a buck, an arm one end of which is movable from a position over the central portion of the buck to a position away from the buck, a sleeve carried by the end of the arm, a shoe having a post, said post being slidably mounted in the sleeve, a first spring for holding the shoe in raised position away from the buck, a second spring, stronger than the rst spring, and cam means pivoted on the sleeve for applying pressure to the shoe through the intermediary of the second spring to move the shoe towards the buck against the action of the first spring.

3. In an ironing machine, the combination of a buck, an arm one end of which is movable from a. position over the central portion of the buck t a position away from the buck, a sleeve carried by the end of the arm, a shoe having a post, said post being slidably mounted in the sleeve, a first spring between the sleeve and post for holding the shoe in raised position away from the buck, a bushing slidably mounted on the sleeve, cam means for actuating the bushing, and a second spring, stronger than the first spring and located between the bushing and shoe, for transmitting the pressure applied to the bushing by the cam means to the shoe.

4. In an ironing machine, the combination of a buck, an arm one end of which is movable from a. position over the central portion of the buck to a position away from the buck, a sleeve carried by the end of the arm, a shoe having a post, said post being slidably mounted in the sleevefa rst spring between the sleeve and post for holding the shoe in raised position away from the buck, a bushing slidably mounted on the sleeve, cam means pivoted on the sleeve for actuating the bushing, and a second spring, stronger than the iirst spring for transmitting the pressure applied to the bushing by the cam means to the shoe.

5. In an ironing machine, the combination of a buck, a support, an arm mounted on the supp ort to swing in a horizontal plane, a pivoted extension on said arm, a shoe mounted on said exguide, restraining rods pivoted on said support and extension for moving the extension relative to the arm to prevent the rotation of the shoe relatively to the buck when the arm is swung, and

the first spring.

to bring it into engagement with the buck.

6. In an ironing machine, the combination of a buck, a support, an arm mounted on the support to swing in a horizontal plane, a pivoted extension on said arm, a shoe mounted on said extension and movable therewith into and out of position over the buck, a guide carried by the extension, a member carried by the shoe and arranged to move vertically with respect to the guide, restraining rods pivoted on said support and extension for moving the extension relative to the arm to prevent the rotation of the shoe relatively to the buck when the arm is swung, stops on the support cooperating with the` restraining rods to limit the movement of the arm, and means for Y shoe and slidably mounted in the sleeve, meansincluding a cam pivoted on the sleeve for moving the shoe in one direction relatively to the sleeve to force the shoe against the buck, and a spring between the post and sleeve for moving the shoe in the opposite direction relatively to the sleeve to move the vshoe away from the buck.-

8. Inan ironing machine, the combination of a buck, an arm movable from a position over the buck to a position away from the buck, a sleeve carried by the arm, a shoe, a post carried by the shoe and slidably mounted in the sleeve, means opposing movement of the post in a direction adapted to move`the shoe towards thev buck,'a spring engaging the shoe, and means for applying pressure to the shoe-through the intermediary of the spring to move the shoe towards the buck.

v9. In an ironing machine, the combination of a buck, an arm movable from a position over the buck to a position away from the buck, a sleeve carried by the arm, a shoe, a post carried by the shoe and slidably mounted in the sleeve, a spring opposing movement of the post in a direction adapted to move the shoe towards the buck, a

second spring, stronger than the rst spring, and

means for applying pressure to the shoe through the intermediary of the second spring to move the shoe towards the buck against the action ot Norma: n. wA'r'rs. 

